CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., July 27, 2001 - V.F.W. Post 3838 recently made a gift of $2,000 to the Vernon L. Pruitt V.F.W. Restricted Scholarship to be awarded to Southeast Missouri State University students for the fall 2001 semester.

The scholarship was established through the Southeast Missouri University Foundation in 1998 with a gift from the Missouri V.F.W. Post 3838 in memory of Pruitt. He was V.F.W. Post 3838's only commander to hold this position at the time of his death.

Recipients must hold sophomore or higher student status and be either a U.S. military veteran who was honorably discharged or the son or daughter of a U.S. military veteran who was honorably discharged. Applicants must have achieved an overall 2.5 grade point average and a 3.0 grade point average in their major, and be a student from Southeast Missouri State University's 24-county primary service area. The level of achievement must be maintained to be eligible to reapply for the scholarship along with substantiating continuing financial need. Recipients are selected by the Scholarship Committee.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., July 27, 2001 -Southeast Missouri State University's Department of Nursing continues to excel at preparing students for careers in nursing, as evidenced by the percentage of students passing the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing Exam (NCLEX).

Ninety-three percent of May 2000 graduates passed the NCLEX, exceeding the Missouri state requirement. The State of Missouri requires 80 percent of a nursing program's students pass the NCLEX. A student may take the NCLEX more than once until passing. However, only the first test is counted toward NCLEX and state statistics.

NCLEX is a national licensing exam administered by each state. A nursing student may take the NCLEX in any state, regardless of where they completed their nursing program. The state administering the exam grants that student licensure to practice.

Dr. A. Louise Hart, chair of the Department of Nursing, says the recent success of graduates is partly attributable to a program implemented to prepare students for the NCLEX and a nursing career, called the NCLEX Success Program.

During the first two years of the program, student passage rates increased five percent. Further, from 1999-2000, student passage rates increased 15 percent.

Beginning during a student's first year, the NCLEX Success Program emphasizes to nursing students three areas: test taking skills, stress reduction, and content review.

Because the NCLEX is a multiple choice, computerized test consisting of 75 to 265 questions, the NCLEX Success Program focuses on teaching students how to approach a computerized test in which a question cannot be revisited once submitted or scrolled back to if completed. The program also illustrates how to make good decisions about multiple- choice questions and what to look for with questions.

During the first semester of the student's final year, a concentrated effort is focused on NCLEX preparations. Students take a computerized diagnostic exam identical to the NCLEX. Dr. Gloria Green, associate professor of nursing and director of undergraduate studies, says the exam serves both the students and nursing faculty.

"The exam is an excellent predictor of a student's performance on the NCLEX if that student received no preparation or help," Green says. "The exam also gives us a good idea of how our students will perform on the NCLEX. Our students need to be prepared for the changing health care environment."

As part of the program, students must enroll in a non-credit course requiring students to answer 2,000 computerized questions taken from practice exams. During each semester, students answer 1,000 questions in 100-question increments. Each student must answer at least 70 percent of the questions correctly.

After the first 1,000 questions, each student receives an analysis of those questions detailing strengths and weaknesses, gaps in knowledge base and areas to improve upon. The second 1,000 questions are used to transform weaknesses into strengths.

The U.S. Department of Labor projects the nursing field will grow by 1.3 million jobs by 2008, placing nursing as one of the fastest growing occupations in the next decade.

Hart believes the nursing field offers innumerable and exciting opportunities for students.

"I tell students all the time, 'It's a wonderful profession…You're going to be surprised by the kinds of things you're going to be able to do in your life and the experiences you will have,'" Hart says. "People let you into their lives at their most vulnerable times: when they are born, when they are ill, and when they die. You have the privilege of helping them through those very difficult times of their lives."

For more information, please contact the Department of Nursing at (573) 651-2585 or log onto www2.semo.edu/nursing/.

WANTED: OWNERS OF SMALL BUSINESS MAKING PENCILS, JET FIGHTERSLearn How To Make Government Buyers Your Client At Upcoming Conference

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., July 27, 2001 -- Eighth District U. S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson and U. S. Sen. Christopher "Kit" Bond are sponsoring a Procurement Conference Aug. 8 in cooperation with Southeast Missouri State University's Small Business Development Center, the Small Business Administration, the Missouri Small Business Development Centers and Missouri Procurement Assistance Centers.

The conference will be held in Robert A. Dempster Hall at Southeast Missouri State University. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., followed by an array of guest speakers, breakout sessions, networking opportunities, and exhibits provided by government contractors and local, state and federal agencies. A noon luncheon is included in the day's activities. The conference is open to current business owners and all other interested individuals. Information sessions will run throughout the day.

"The first ever Southeast Missouri Procurement Conference at Southeast Missouri State University will provide valuable insight into government purchasing practices and how government contracts can expand your business," Emerson said.

A focus of the Procurement Conference will be the HUBZone Empowerment Contracting Program providing both federal prime contract and subcontract benefits to small business. A HUBZone is a "historically underutilized business zone." The Program was created by Congress and designed to stimulate economic development by providing federal contracting opportunities to small businesses located in eligible areas. There are many federally designated HUBZones in Southeast Missouri. As a leader of the Senate Small Business Committee, Bond has fought to get federal agencies to live up to the goal of the Small Business Act and to ensure that small business gets a fair proportion of federal contracting opportunities.

"The HUBZone Program is part of that effort. I hope you will learn everything you can about how this program can help you compete for federal contracts," Bond explained.

"We are also going to have several sessions to train business owners on topics such as how to develop a winning proposal; how to do business with federal, state and local government agencies; doing business with the government on the Internet; and prime contracting and subcontracting opportunities for small businesses and more," said Buz Sutherland, director of the Small Business Development Center at Southeast. "Equally important, Southeast Missouri business people will be able to meet face to face with federal and state agencies that buy everything from pencils to jet fighters and need services ranging from janitorial to nuclear physics."

Guest speakers include a variety of people who have experience in government buying as well as individuals who have successfully marketed their goods and services to federal, state and local government agencies. Remarks on operating a successful small business and taking advantage of the HUBZone Program will be provided by "Matt" Alexander, president of Matthews Manufacturing Company.

The U. S. Government is the number one consumer of goods and services in the world. Government agencies spend billions of dollars annually purchasing goods and services from small businesses. Business owners who want to learn how to make government buyers their clients can find out more at Bond and Emerson's Procurement Conference.

The cost is $25 per person and includes lunch. Advance registration is needed, as seating is limited. Individuals who want to register or need additional information should contact the Small Business Development Center at Southeast Missouri State University by phone (573) 986-6084 or fax (573) 986-6083.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., July 25, 2001 - The River Campus Board of Managers is scheduled to meet at noon July 27 on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.

The meeting will be held in Dempster Hall Room 102.

City representatives on the Board are Ruth Knote, Dennis Vollink and Jerry Ford. University representatives are Dr. Pauline Fox, vice president for administration and enrollment management; Thomas Swayne Byrd, architect from Charleston, Mo.; and Jerrianne Wyman, Southeast alumna and member of the Old Town Cape Committee.

SOUTHEAST STUDENTS WEAVE ORIGINAL TAPESTRYWeavings to be exhibited beginning Aug. 3

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., July 27, 2001 - Southeast Missouri State University will be the site for an exhibition of original tapestry art weavings beginning in August.

The event will be held in the Kent Library lobby and will open at 3 p.m. Aug. 3. The showing is a culmination of a four-week summer workshop in "Experimental Tapestry Weaving" using original, creative designs.

Nine students were involved in the process of creating woven tapestries based on a variety of images and personal expression. The tapestries on display represent the students' interests in metaphorical landscapes, southwestern art, Native American art and nature, circles representing the repetition of objects throughout life, felines, femininity and dress, birds as they symbolize freedom and movement, old Japanese fabrics and a graphic design illustration.

The exhibit will feature the work of the following artists: Stacey Skidmore of Jackson, Mo.; Becky Grass and Brenda Ruth of Cape Girardeau; Heather Hodge of St. Peters; Michelle Cairns of Perryville, Mo.; Kristie Lape of Malden, Mo.; Pamela Sue Doty of Irondale, Mo.; Curtis Robinson of Doniphan, Mo.; and Yuki Hamasuna of Fukuoka City, Japan.

Having just returned from a trip to Paris, Instructor Pat Reagan presented slides of the famous Gobelins tapestries workshop and other examples of traditional tapestries for historical inspiration. Modern weaving examples also were shown.

Taking a more contemporary approach, the "Experimental Tapestry Weaving" class was introduced to basic tapestry weaving techniques using a variety of fiber materials. Each student built their own Navajo loom on which to weave a 30-by-45-inch tapestry. Students experimented with their own personal designs and colors and selected materials that reflected their individuality. The result is a fascinating display of imagination and artistry, created by hand, using an ancient craft to create a contemporary look.

The exhibit will continue through Sept. 7. For Kent Library hours, call 651-2235.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., July 27, 2001 - Southeast Missouri State University has joined other Missouri colleges and universities in implementing a shared, statewide, computerized library system called a Common Library Platform (CLP). In all, more than 50 Missouri colleges and universities have teamed together to form the CLP.

The CLP will permit students and faculty of every academic library in Missouri to connect directly to a single statewide database and request books from member libraries free of charge. Approximately 14 million items in the libraries of Missouri's academic institutions will be available to students and faculty.

Developed by the Missouri Public Academic Library Administrators (MPALA) and the Council on Public Higher Education (COPHE), the CLP is administered and governed by the Missouri Bibliographic Information User System (MOBIUS). Participating institutions include private, public, two-year and four-year Missouri colleges and universities.

As part of the CLP, 11 automated library systems are linked together to form a union catalog physically located at the University of Missouri-Columbia. A system is defined as a single server running library software. Each of the 11 library systems, called clusters, will contain multiple institutions. Southeast, Three Rivers Community College, and Mineral Area College will form one cluster, named Galahad.

Currently, 40 colleges and universities are using the CLP. The scheduled completion date is July 2002.

Dr. Sarah Cron, dean of Academic Information Services, director of Kent Library and past chair of MOBIUS, says the system will dramatically help Southeast students and faculty members in their research.

"Right now, we have 450,000 volumes in Kent Library. With this system, students and faculty will have access to over 14 million volumes across the state," Cron says. "This will dramatically improve access to materials for students and faculty."

Southeast, however, is one of the last universities to have the CLP system implemented. By the beginning of the spring 2002 semester, students and faculty will be able to borrow from other libraries in the Galahad cluster. Full implementation is expected by the end of the spring 2002 semester, Cron says. At that time, students and faculty will be able to request books from other MOBIUS libraries. Requested books will be delivered to Kent Library within 48 hours.

Cron says one of the most challenging aspects of the MOBIUS system was reaching a consensus among all 50 academic institutions. According to Cron, the process of linking institutions to the MOBIUS system and CLP has been labor-intensive.

"We have an enormous amount of details that must be worked out in order to make this system work," Cron says. "Often times, the needs of a community college are very different from the needs of a large public university.

"However, there has been a high level of cooperation among all institutions, as well as a high level of leadership from the librarians at the 50 institutions. The work that these fascinating librarians have done is fantastic. They seem to be able to step to the plate and do what needs to be done for the good of all 50 institutions and the State of Missouri."

Start-up funding for the CLP was approved by the Missouri General Assembly during fiscal year 1999 and re-approved during fiscal year 2000. Ongoing funding for the CLP will be shared equally between all participating institutions and the State of Missouri. The total anticipated CLP cost over five years is $15.2 million.

For more information, contact Dr. Sarah Cron at (573) 651-2235 or via e-mail at scron@semovm.semo.edu.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Aug. 1, 2001 - The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents today approved a proposal reducing the University's fiscal 2002 operating budget by $2.3 million by implementing a three-month hiring freeze, making cuts in equipment and operations budgets, and deferring maintenance and repair projects at Southeast.

The reduction in the budget approved conditionally June 28, was approved in order to accommodate an additional five percent withholding in its state appropriation due to lagging state revenues as announced recently by Gov. Bob Holden.

A three-month hiring freeze is expected to save $1.13 million, and a one-time withholding of equipment and operations will save an additional $1 million, University officials said. Southeast also has revised its student enrollment projections upward, meaning an additional $150,000 in income to the University.

The operating budget approved today includes merit-based salary increases for all faculty and employee groups effective today. Under the approved budget, salary increases for faculty will be drawn from a 2.0 percent base merit pool. Since staff increases will take effect Aug. 1 rather than July 1, salary increases for staff will be drawn from a 2.18 percent pool. The additional .18 percent has an effective rate of two percent if the increase were given on July 1. No automatic increases will be given; all raises are based on meritorious performance.

Reductions in the University's operating budget and the salary compensation packages approved by the Regents today are based on recommendations given to President Dobbins from the Budget Review Committee which reconvened July 17 to generate changes to the fiscal 2002 operating budget. The Regents agreed today that no additional student incidental fee increases will be recommended at this time.

On June 28, the Board of Regents approved a $76.5 million operating budget, but due to uncertainty about the exact size of the state appropriation for fiscal 2002, annual salary increases, apart from promotions and other adjustments, were deferred at that time.

Due to projected revenue shortfall for fiscal 2002, the State of Missouri revised downward the amount of the fiscal 2002 appropriations which will actually be released to public higher education institutions, including Southeast. The five percent additional withholding was announced in mid-July by Gov. Holden.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo., Aug. 1, 2001 - The Southeast Missouri State University Board of Regents today named Alan Zacharias of River Forest, Ill., as vice president for University Advancement and executive director of the Southeast Missouri University Foundation.

The announcement was made following a closed session meeting of the Southeast Board of Regents. His appointment is effective Sept. 23. Zacharias will earn a salary of $115,000.

Zacharias currently is senior vice president for university advancement and chief operating officer with the Concordia University Foundation in River Forest, Ill., a position he has held since 1996. He has more than 17 years of experience in fund-raising management, 12 years of experience in university advancement, and a specialty in major gift fund raising.

In his capacity at Concordia University, he has been the chief adviser to the president on effective advancement strategy, marketing communications, resource development, alumni, community relations, government relations and special events. He also is chief administrator of the Concordia University Foundation Board of Directors and serves as a member of the

Administrative Council and Strategic Planning Committee at the university.

Kenneth W. Dobbins, president of Southeast Missouri State University, recommended Zacharias to the Board after a Search Committee narrowed a field of candidates for the position to four finalists. The four finalists all recently visited the campus for interviews.

"We are extremely pleased to have Alan Zacharias joining Southeast to lead our efforts in University Advancement and with the Foundation," Dobbins said. "Alan comes to Southeast with a wide range of expertise, and he is eminently qualified for the position. In his current position, he has led the implementation of a multi-year comprehensive campaign, the largest in Concordia's history, and he has implemented major gifts processes, resulting in a quadrupling of gift income in three years. He has doubled corporate giving to Concordia University in three years, and, as chief administrator, he has managed strategic planning, board policy and government relations. We are confident he will take Southeast to a new level in University Advancement and that he will be successful in advancing fund-raising efforts for the entire University, and in particular, for the River Campus project."

At Southeast, Zacharias will be responsible for providing vision, strategic leadership and daily management for the University's overall development and alumni programs. He will lead a staff of 12 professionals and support personnel and will be responsible for researching, designing, cultivating, coordinating, and executing all development programs including major gifts, corporate/foundation gifts, the annual telefund campaign, alumni gifts and planned giving.

Prior to his present position, Zacharias served as vice president of the university and executive director of the foundation (1991-1996) and director of capital campaign (1989-1991) at

Concordia University Irvine in Irvine, Calif.; and stewardship project coordinator (1984-1989) for Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod Foundation in St. Louis.

Zacharias has a Master of Business Administration degree from Dominican University in River Forest, Ill., and a Bachelor of Science degree in journalism/marketing from Murray State University in Murray, Ky. He also has attended the Harvard Institute for Higher Education and has received the Certified Fund Raising Professional Credential (CFRE) from the National Society of Fund Raising Professionals.

Zacharias, a former resident of St. Louis and Scott Counties, attended Southeast Missouri State from 1979 to 1981. He replaces J. Wayne Davenport, who resigned recently to accept a position with Cleveland State University.

Zacharias and his wife, Rhonda, have ties to Southeast Missouri. She grew up in Scott County and Zacharias' father was a Lutheran minister in Scott City. Zacharias attended Southeast Missouri State for two years and he has two brothers who are Southeast alumni. Zacharias and his wife have two children.